So I am finally trying to figure out how to make some decent quality videos. I have a Mac and today I did a little test run. I shot a video of myself using a decent camera and recorded the audio using garage band. I thought could use iMovie and extract the audio from the video footage and then add the audio I recorded but I can't figure out how to extract the audio. Anybody Mac users here use iMovie to make their videos? Do I need to invest in some other video editing software and if so what is recommended? Thanks. I am hoping to be able to do some SI lessons but I would like to do some decent quality lessons if I am going to do this. Thanks.

Monte

Ivan Milenkovic

Dec 22 2008, 12:57 AM

I think iVideo has multitrack option, so you can import audio track on separate track and mute the audio track from video that you are using. I'm not sure if it can render in anything else than .mov format tho.

I recommend trying Vegas Studio 9, it's cheap and very good for video editing.

lcsdds

Dec 22 2008, 01:47 AM

QUOTE (Ivan Milenkovic @ Dec 22 2008, 12:57 AM)

I think iVideo has multitrack option, so you can import audio track on separate track and mute the audio track from video that you are using. I'm not sure if it can render in anything else than .mov format tho.

I recommend trying Vegas Studio 9, it's cheap and very good for video editing.

Thanks Ivan!! You're the man!! Hopefully I can figure this out and start contributing around here

Monte

Ivan, I don't think Vegas studio 9 is made for Mac Any other suggestions? Anyone?

Monte

wrk

Dec 22 2008, 01:53 AM

Hi Monte,

Ivan is right, in iMovie you can not extract audio from the video, but as you don't want to use it you can just turn it off and import the audio file you want to use. If you create a project in iMovie and drag the video in this project, you have some little icons on each video clip and a sound icon as well. You can drag your GarageBand file direct in the project if you have published it for iLife preview.

iMovie is really practical if you want to do things quick and easy, but it is not an sophisticated video editing application. For me it's normally enough.

I think something like Final Cut Express is a good app on Mac. As far as i know Vegas is not available for OS X.

lcsdds

Dec 22 2008, 02:03 AM

QUOTE (wrk @ Dec 22 2008, 01:53 AM)

Hi Monte,

Ivan is right, in iMovie you can not extract audio from the video, but as you don't want to use it you can just turn it off and import the audio file you want to use. If you create a project in iMovie and drag the video in this project, you have some little icons on each video clip and a sound icon as well. You can drag your GarageBand file direct in the project if you have published it for iLife preview.

iMovie is really practical if you want to do things quick and easy, but it is not an sophisticated video editing application. For me it's normally enough.

I think something like Final Cut Express is a good app on Mac. As far as i know Vegas is not available for OS X.

Thanks Wrk, How would you sync the audio to the video once you turn it off? I thnk I am just going to download the iMovie HD from iLife '06. I think it will make it easier. I am obviously not very sophisticated and I don't really want to sped $200 on Final Cut. Thanks again.

Monte

wrk

Dec 22 2008, 02:15 AM

QUOTE (lcsdds @ Dec 22 2008, 02:03 AM)

Thanks Wrk, How would you sync the audio to the video once you turn it off? I thnk I am just going to download the iMovie HD from iLife '06. I think it will make it easier. I am obviously not very sophisticated and I don't really want to sped $200 on Final Cut. Thanks again.

Monte

If you have your audio file imported to your project, you have a green bar under your video, which you can drag back and forth to sync to your video. Maybe for synchronizing leave the original audio of your video on, so that you hear both and once it is adjusted you turn it off.

Yes, final cut is not cheap. I got used to iMovie and like it, just play a bit. Don't hesitate to ask if you have questions.

You could have a look to at www.macupdate.com. Its a kind of complete database for software and tools for mac ... maybe there are some interesting apps as well.

lcsdds

Dec 22 2008, 02:23 AM

Thanks Wrk, I think the easiest way will be to import it into iMovie and export to quicktime and then import into iMovie HD. If I start doing alot of this I might spring for final cut. In iMovie HD you can extract the audio and then import your recorded audio and then sync the two waveforms. Much easier, just have to take a round about way to get there. Thanks again and good luck with your MTP application, you deserve it as you've been a pretty active member. I am hoping to become more active by doing some SI lessons hopefully.

Monte

QUOTE (wrk @ Dec 22 2008, 02:15 AM)

If you have your audio file imported to your project, you have a green bar under your video, which you can drag back and forth to sync to your video. Maybe for synchronizing leave the original audio of your video on, so that you hear both and once it is adjusted you turn it off.

Yes, final cut is not cheap. I got used to iMovie and like it, just play a bit. Don't hesitate to ask if you have questions.

You could have a look to at www.macupdate.com. Its a kind of complete database for software and tools for mac ... maybe there are some interesting apps as well.

wrk

Dec 22 2008, 02:36 AM

QUOTE (lcsdds @ Dec 22 2008, 02:23 AM)

Thanks Wrk, I think the easiest way will be to import it into iMovie and export to quicktime and then import into iMovie HD. If I start doing alot of this I might spring for final cut. In iMovie HD you can extract the audio and then import your recorded audio and then sync the two waveforms. Much easier, just have to take a round about way to get there. Thanks again and good luck with your MTP application, you deserve it as you've been a pretty active member. I am hoping to become more active by doing some SI lessons hopefully.

Monte

I will check iMovie HD, maybe could be better for me as well. I dont think so its then necessary to use iMovie as a step before.

Thanks, good luck for you too for the MTP ... i watched you videos a lot the last days, your version of Muris canon is awesome. I am curious about your lessons ..

Take care ..

lcsdds

Dec 22 2008, 02:57 AM

I am probably gonna do 3 or four lessons just showing some licks that I like and then do a lesson after that putting them all together in a solo. Kind of like Muris does with a 1 minute or so backing track. That is why I am trying to get this figured out. I tried filming the lesson footage with just a webcam but the audio is so crappy that I just can't get something that I am even remotely happy with. I am such a newbie when it comes to recording and video editing that it just frustrates me to the point where I don't even want to mess with it. I have decided it is time to go through the learning curve and figure it out because I think I will really enjoy trying to contribute to GMC, it is such a great community. Thanks for the compliment on my take of Muris's Canon!!

Monte

Ivan Milenkovic

Dec 22 2008, 03:14 AM

Sorry to hear that Vegas Studio wasn't available for Mac mate One question for you iVideo users: can you see the peaks within the audio file? If you can you can sync graphically in order to match them in time.

lcsdds

Dec 22 2008, 03:20 AM

QUOTE (Ivan Milenkovic @ Dec 22 2008, 03:14 AM)

Sorry to hear that Vegas Studio wasn't available for Mac mate One question for you iVideo users: can you see the peaks within the audio file? If you can you can sync graphically in order to match them in time.

That is the problem I am having with iMovie '08, you can't see the audio wave forms. In iMovie HD, which is the '06 version, you can extract the audio from the video footage and then sync it up to the wave form of the recorded audio. This is what I am going to do and then hopefully if I need more sophistication I'll get final cut. Thanks again for the input Ivan, much appreciated!!

Monte

Ivan Milenkovic

Dec 22 2008, 03:47 AM

No problem mate.

I just found a free software that you can use to rip audio from video here mate. THere's a Mac version as well. Hope this helps

wrk

Dec 22 2008, 10:24 AM

The idea behind the iLife apps is that you don't need a lot of knowledge or experiences to end up with a good result. Of course of cost for lesser options. I think you should stick then with iMovie and GarageBand and later move to other, more specialized apps. I'm aware that these apps have some minus points, but i like the simplicity of them and how they work together and .. you have them already

I don't like to see you frustrated with your mac, so here a little guide. I hope it will be helpful.

Audio:How do you record your guitar with GarageBand, do you have something like a POD or Toneport? Sorry, i think you mentioned it somewhere, but i don't remember. Basically, if you have something similar like a POD, you will have no problem to get a good sounding guitar. If not, you can use the Amp simulation from GarageBand, which is not great, but often better as to use a mic to record your amp. If you need some help for GB, let me know, what gear you have by now.

Video:1. If you use the internal webcam and record with iMovie, the video is automatically in your iMovie Event Library (A1).

2. If you use an external Camera (i use now a normal, Sony photo camera), then you have to import the movie file and it will appear in your Event Library (A1). I think it's the better solution, as recording both (Audio/GB, Video/iMovie) at the same time, the video quality is going down and get blurry, missing frames, etc.

On the screen (A2) you can see the complete video file. I played this take a few times in a raw, but i wanted to use only the last take (orange line on video). You click and drag over the part you want to use. You have an realtime few on the top right corner.

create a new project with the plus button (B1)

drag the selected video sequence (A2) in the project view (B2)

in C you can select the garageband file. The garage band file as to be published for iLife preview to be visible there. Garageband is asking you to do that when you close the GB file.

drag the file C in the project window (B2) and it appears as a green bar (B4). You can drag this bar back and forth up to it is synchronized. If the drag steps are to large use B3.

B5 you can use to turn off the audio of the video file.

to synchronize, just click somewhere on the video and place the red time line marker and hit the space key. You can check in realtime if audio and video are well adjusted.

Note : I think for this process you don't need to see the wave forms, as to drag and check afterwards goes so fast, you quickly will find a match. With the help of B3 you easily will find the right spot while fine tuning.

Helpful ToolsImport Video:If you use an external camera and you can not import the video in iMovie, because the format is not supported. I use a small tool called "VisualHub", you can get it from HERE

Export:Just use the "share with iTunes" function from the top menu "share". In case you need another format at the end, use "VisualHub" again.

Seriously, i'm sure you will find your way in no time. Good luck !!

lcsdds

Dec 22 2008, 12:08 PM

QUOTE (wrk @ Dec 22 2008, 10:24 AM)

The idea behind the iLife apps is that you don't need a lot of knowledge or experiences to end up with a good result. Of course of cost for lesser options. I think you should stick then with iMovie and GarageBand and later move to other, more specialized apps. I'm aware that these apps have some minus points, but i like the simplicity of them and how they work together and .. you have them already

I don't like to see you frustrated with your mac, so here a little guide. I hope it will be helpful.

Audio:How do you record your guitar with GarageBand, do you have something like a POD or Toneport? Sorry, i think you mentioned it somewhere, but i don't remember. Basically, if you have something similar like a POD, you will have no problem to get a good sounding guitar. If not, you can use the Amp simulation from GarageBand, which is not great, but often better as to use a mic to record your amp. If you need some help for GB, let me know, what gear you have by now.

Video:1. If you use the internal webcam and record with iMovie, the video is automatically in your iMovie Event Library (A1).

2. If you use an external Camera (i use now a normal, Sony photo camera), then you have to import the movie file and it will appear in your Event Library (A1). I think it's the better solution, as recording both (Audio/GB, Video/iMovie) at the same time, the video quality is going down and get blurry, missing frames, etc.

On the screen (A2) you can see the complete video file. I played this take a few times in a raw, but i wanted to use only the last take (orange line on video). You click and drag over the part you want to use. You have an realtime few on the top right corner.

create a new project with the plus button (B1)

drag the selected video sequence (A2) in the project view (B2)

in C you can select the garageband file. The garage band file as to be published for iLife preview to be visible there. Garageband is asking you to do that when you close the GB file.

drag the file C in the project window (B2) and it appears as a green bar (B4). You can drag this bar back and forth up to it is synchronized. If the drag steps are to large use B3.

B5 you can use to turn off the audio of the video file.

to synchronize, just click somewhere on the video and place the red time line marker and hit the space key. You can check in realtime if audio and video are well adjusted.

Note : I think for this process you don't need to see the wave forms, as to drag and check afterwards goes so fast, you quickly will find a match. With the help of B3 you easily will find the right spot while fine tuning.

Helpful ToolsImport Video:If you use an external camera and you can not import the video in iMovie, because the format is not supported. I use a small tool called "VisualHub", you can get it from HERE

Export:Just use the "share with iTunes" function from the top menu "share". In case you need another format at the end, use "VisualHub" again.

Seriously, i'm sure you will find your way in no time. Good luck !!

AWESOME Wrk!!! I really appreciate the help. I have put off trying to learn this stuff because it is usually such an frustrating experience I got it to work pretty easily in iMovie HD but I am gonna do a simple lesson on some tapping/sweeping shapes this week and see how this works!! Thanks again for the explanation, I appreciate your time and effort trying to help a total recording noob

Monte

Bogdan Radovic

Dec 23 2008, 12:54 PM

I use Adobe Premier 2.0 software and they support Mac systems (don't know which versions , just check on their web site)..Its a great video editor many professionals use!

jdriver

Dec 26 2008, 06:08 PM

An inexpensive upgrade to Quicktime Pro for $30 will give you complete control over exporting audio or video, and editing functions directly in Quicktime Player.

This will also give you sound recording functions in the Quicktime app. An easy way to sync up is to record the video and audio on the camera, and record your guitar direct. Then you can use the audio from the camera to match up what you've recorded. Simply mute the camera audio for your final output.

For more information open Quicktime Player Help and read About Quicktime Pro, or Apple's website will tell you a lot more about what it can do.

Vaialation1232

Jan 10 2009, 10:08 AM

Im sure you already got an answer with all of these replies...but just in case..

What i do is i export as a quicktime file (from the share menu)...then before i click export i make sure it says export as wav. file...this will give you the audio file from your movie...i think turn off the actual video's sound and import the new wav. file back in so i can sync them better

Hopefully this helps (or youve already solved it im sure..)

enforcer

Jan 10 2009, 10:15 AM

I am not sure how much money do you think spending on it but you should check out that review: